Things That Haunt Us
by BlueSkyMornings
Summary: Alice is driven by her dream of dancing because of her friend Jaspers memory. She's long buired it, the guilt of what happened that night, so what happens when it starts coming back and taunting her with memories? Can she overcome the pain and find peace?
1. Prologue

This is the **PROLOGUE** to the story, as in years before. Okay in this chp I know it MAY seem that Jasper is a little TOO protective of Alice but this represents how I think he'd treat her if she were human and could die that much easier. And to add to that, she's even MORE fragile then a normal human. So there's how he treats her as a vampire, and how you think he'd treat her as a human (even more protectivly)... but what if she had a heart problem ontop of that? And anything could damage her heart and kill her? And what if on top of that, too, people always tried to do her harm? How protective would he be then?

It's not THAT Alice Jasper considering (it kinda is, in memoires) this is the prologue... so THIS is...

P.S. I know this would make a good one shot (I think it would) but It's not so don't worry.

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"Hey Alice, ready for the movies?" Jasper asked me, taking his jacket off to give to me. I had forgotten mine at school again, and even though it wasn't that cold, Jasper wanted to make sure I didn't get sick. He was really protective of me.

"Yeah, I can't wait!" I turned to my parents standing at the kitchen door.

"Keep her safe, Jasper."

"With my life." Jasper vowed, his face serious. My dad knew Jasper would literally give his life to save me.

"Bring her home by eleven." My dad said in his all business voice.

"Dad, it's not a date! Twelve!" I complained.

"I said no."

"Dad, I'm always with him! It's not like you can't trust him."

Jasper spoke for my dad. "Alice you're usually at my house, or like wise. He just doesn't want you around town that late. It's your safety he's worried about."

"Well I'm not spending the night with you, so I'd like to stay with you until twleve. It's not like our parents mind. Besides, yours aren't even home."

Jasper sighed. I was too stubborn for him sometimes.

"How about eleven thirty? If that's all right?" he asked my dad.

"All right. But no later."

Jasper nodded. "You have my word sir." Even though they were on a first name basis, Jasper never used anything but formal language when I was concerned.

"Have fun." My mother smiled.

"We will." I said, and we left.

We drove to the theater in comfertable silence. Jasper turned the radio up a little from a soft hum to a talking loud when my song came on. I smiled and looked out the window. Jasper knew what I liked, and he was careful about everything around me, too. Nothing could be too hot, too cold, too loud, everything had to be as perfect as it could around me.

I was so lost in thought I didn't notice we arrived until Jasper shook me gentally.

"Jasper, I'm not a china doll you know." I smiled at him and joked.

"You are to me." His face was serious but then he grinned. "Come on. Don't want to miss the movie do you?"

"Nope." I said, my smile widening as I jumped out of the car.

Jasper came around the side of the car to me and walked with me to the movie ticketer with his hand on my back. We ordered tickets and Jasper held the door for me.

"So Jasper, what do you want to buy? Popcorn? Slushies? Nachos? How about Bunch-a-Cruncha?" I asked leading him to the food counter.

"Let's go with nachos. They're probably the healthiest thing here." he said, shaking his head.

I took his hand and dragged him to the line. He didn't like this one bit. The food wouldn't kill me, but he figured that by how many times I had not been killed that something as small as food could. Things like that happened in the world, he explained to me. He's not my brother but he might as well be, except he's more protective then a parent.

I didn't notice when we had made it to the front of the line until I heard Jaspers voice say, "One order of cheese nachos please? And a water." Jasper paid and thanked her then we walked to the movie.

When we sat down he handed me the nachos and some napkins he grabbed. Halfway thorugh the movie I whispered to him, "I have to go to the restroom."

"Alright." And he stood up, took my hand, and we walked to the restroom. He stood outside and waited for me, and I was sure he was listening for any problems. It might seem a little weird that he goes everywhere I go, but it's to keep me safe. People like to try and off me, at least the people I go to school with, because they think I'm a freak. I left my stall to wash my hands and another toliet flushed. As the girl stepped out of the stall I froze. but Tess just walked past me, washed her hands, and left. I exited the restroom and the moment I was out Jasper gripped my hand tightly.

"I just saw Tess. You alright? I didn't hear anything."

"She didn't even see me." I assured him.

With him more at ease we entered the movie again.

When the movie was over, I took Jasper outside the theatre to the hall.

"That was fun." I said, wrapping my arm around his waist.

"Well I'm glad you liked it." he said putting his arms around my shoulders.

We walked out of the door laughing our heads off.

"So it's ten thirty and we have an hour left. Where would you like to go?"

I pretended to think a moment.

"How about we go the The River?"

Jasper sighed. "That place? You could fall off the platform and into the cold water." He emphasised cold. "Shock could kill you alone."

"Jasper please." I begged. "It's close to home, so if I do fall in, once you jump in and save me in the ten seconds it would take when it comes to me, we're right by the house, too. Just two miles off." I looked right into his eyes to see I was winning. He couldn't deny me anything I wanted, just like he couldn't not be overprotective.

I didn't want to drive him crazy so I didn't ask him to let me do anything too dangerous when I was around him.

We stepped out into the cold night air. Jasper looked at me, and I knew he was making sure that I had my jacket on.

We made it to the side walk when someone started yelling. A quiet conversation got loud.

"No, I said the money was due today!" The man yelling pulled out a gun, and though it was pointed no where near me, Jasper got infront of me.

"I don't have it." the other man said.

I watched him cower and thanked God it wasn't me.

"Well then you're going to pay for it." The first man cocked the gun, ready to pull the trigger.

It was then Jasper left his position in front of me.

"Jasper, no." I whispered, but he ignored me.

"Excuse me, but there are people here, and I believe someone called the cops. So I suggest leaving before they come, because even if you shoot someone and run there are enough people to identify you. Not only that but I do believe you're the one that everyone's looking for, so I ought to keep you here." Jaspers' voice was deadly calm. He knew that this man could shoot him at any time, and it might be fatal. I also know he wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't here.

The man seemed confused as to why on earth a 14 year old was talkign to him.

The man looked no more then 23, and had a scar over his right eye. When he talked his draw was slow and southern.

"Go away boy. This doesn't concern you." The man started sweating.

"But sir, it concerns everyone here. You made them a part of this when you pulled the gun."

The man looked around and seemed to notice the big crowd of people watching him for the first time.

"What are all y'all staring at?" he bellowed. His voice was panicked, desperate.

"So you see," continued Jasper, "you really aren't going to win this one."

Just as he said that the cops pulled up. Before they reached the center of the ring of people, who parted for them immediatly, Jasper was already by my side, holding onto me tightly, and walking me to the car.

"Are you okay?" He asked, holding me out in front of him when we reached the car.

"Yeah." I said, but my voice shook with fear, and my heart hurt a little.

Jasper saw right through me.

"Just calm down during the car ride, and I'll take you." He looked at me sternly.

"Okay, I can do that."

Jasper opened the door for me, and I climbed in. I watched him shut my door and knew he was relieved I was okay. He climbed in and silently started the car. There was no music, not even a quiet hum until halfway to the River.

The River wasn't even a river at all. That was just a name we have called it since we were kids. In actuallity it was a large preforance area on a man made lake.

When we arrived, Jasper beat me to my side and opened the door for me.

"Your heart better?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

Jasper grinned a little. "That's good."

I looked at Jasper and as a thought hit me, I grinned. Seeing my grin Jasper groaned.

"Come on, I'll race you!" I said excitedly.

"Alright. Ready, set, GO!" and we both took off to our spot in the middle of the platform.

As quick as I could I ran through trees, but when I reached the platform, Jasper was sitting there grinning. "You'll beat me one day." He promised.

"I don't beat you at anything." I fake pouted.

"You beat me at dance." he guestured to the platform under him with his hand he wasn't leaning back on.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to go anywhere with my skill. Besides, people always tell me I can't make it."

"Don't listen to them, what do they know? You're really, really good."

"But my heart problem. They might be scared I'll drop dead."

"You're good so far."

"No one believes I can make it."

"You're right. No one believes you can make it. I know you'll make it. And I'll come to every preformance rain, sleet, hail, tornados, and/or even being hospitalized. Even if I'm dead I'll be there. Nothing will stop me from seeing my best friend acheiving her dream."

"Four years is a long time to keep that promise." I said doubtfully. "You could get tired of me or move away."

"Alice, I promise, where ever I am, even if I hate you or vise versa, I'll still go."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now get up and show me how you're going to dance for their representatives!"

"Alright." I laughed. I got up and danced around him, spinning and leaping, before I playfully collapsed on him.

"You were great Alice! You'll make it with flying colors!"

"Thanks Jazz." We were both laughing, me still laying on top of him, when we heard a gunshot.

Jasper stopped laughing immediatly, and put me in his lap with his arms protectivly around me, surveying the area.

He lowered his head to my ear. "That's not right. There's nothing to hunt here."

Another gunshot fired, and it sounded closer. Then another, even closer then that.

"Alice, listen to me, I want you to stand up and run ahead of me and run up to and enter the storage room. Do not make a sound, do not scream. I'll be right there with you." Another shot sounded a few feet inside the tree walls. "Come on Alice, now." He dragged me up and pushed me a little and I ran as fast as I could quietlly run on the wooden platform to the storage door. I pushed it as hard as I could but it wouldn't budge. A half second later Jasper was right beside me, unlocking the door in less then five seconds and getting me in first. He put me closet to the wall of the tiny closet and stood in front of me closet to the wall so I wouldn't be in plain sight. After we both got in, he turned the light off and locked the door.

Another gun shot sounded, and I made a tiny noise, not loud enough to hear from where the man was, but loud enough for Jasper to cover my mouth with his hand.

"No noise. It's okay Alice, no one will hurt you."

Soon enough, we heard gun shots from somewhere in the covered area of the ampatheatre. Jasper silently wrapped his arms around me and buired my head in his neck, proably to muffle any noise that I could accidently make.

"Come out, come out boy! I know you're here!" a naisly voice said mockingly. "I followed you here. You got my partner in trouble, and that wasn't very nice of you." Another shot sounded closer to the door, and Jasper squeezed me closer.

"Come out, come out boy! If you come out now I won't hurt the girl you're with. You're here somewhere boy." Another shot and he was right infront of the door.

Jasper stopped breathing and I held mine, too.

"Are you in here?" He tired the door but it was locked. He grunted, and I thought he didn't think anyone could be in here. A few moments later his footsteps faded. My body involuntarily relaxed until I felt Jasper shake his head and draw my head closer into his chest.

"Don't scream." was all he said before a banging sounded loudly on the other side of the door. With him holding me so tightly I couldn't even jump. Thankfully I didn't scream. Another grunt sounded on the other side of the door.

"Where are you boy." He growled, obviously angry he couldn't herd us out of our hiding place. "I'll get you, and your precious girlie, too!" He promised. Something must have caught his attentino becuase he started away quickly, his heavy footsteps pitter pattering away and around the corner at a quick pace.

Jasper held me a few more minutes, before he kissed me softly on the forehead and sighed in relief and released me from his tight grip for the time being.

"Come on, we have to get out of here." He unlocked the door and we crept outside. "Quietly Alice."

I nodded and knew he saw me because he turned away from me and started surveying the area.

Silently, he led me out of the covered area and into the open area of the theatre.

We were doing really well in the darkness, almost to the frontline of the woods, when I heard a click followed by a soft hum and saw the lights of the theatre start up. In about five seconds, Jasper and I were completely revealed and at the mercy of the light.

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I want to know what you people think about the story so far. So new rule, 5 reviews, or no update!


	2. Chapter 1

**2 419.. **funny, I thought it was longer. Again, I had five reviews a long time ago, and I'm SO sorry I didn't update sooner. I didn't process that I had five reviews until a couple of days ago, but see, I had ripped out this chp for the story (never again!) and it seemed tedious to put them back together, but I finally managed to today, so some of this I re wrote out of scratch, while other parts I rewrote because I do that when I type things I've all ready written once... so without further ado...

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My whole life I was always treated as an outcast. I had this heart condition and no one wanted to be around me except one. in time our friendship started growing and unlike most differant gender friendships, we stayed close. We helped each other with our problems, and he stood up for me. But when we were 14 he was taken from the streets, or rather woods, while his parents were away.

Truth be, it was his memory and his support for my ambitious dream that drove me four years through high school all the way to Juliard.

Well, here I am, fulfilling my dream and hiding my weak heart. I doubt they'd let me dance here if they knew.

"Okay ladies, show time!" The director, a perky but serious and kindly lady of about 38 said, clapping her hands to emphasis her statment.

No one looked at me as they got ready to dance, but that was how I liked it.

The announcer stopped talking and we took our cue. Before I started dancing, I peaked out to the audiance as I always do. The only familiar face was the what looked like blond man sitting in the same seat that he always sat in for every show, every season, every year since my first preformance. I knew because once I saw him twice in the same place, I had to see if he was there again; he was there everytime in that seat without fail.

He wasn't with anyone in my dance team, so he must be looking for someone-or a stalker. Scary thought.

I turned away from him to concintrate on my dance. Rythmically I leaped and twirled, flexiable I did tricky things, and gracefully I moved positions. When our first dance was finally over, I looked to the audiance to find his partially hidden face staring at me.

Once we moved backstage, I groaned as flowers started arriving. This was a time I hated because I watched as other girls were showered with flowers from their parents or boyfriends, fiancees in some cases, and I never had any. My parents were always to busy with their new jobs in wherever they chose to move to. I think they had finally chosen the rural part of New York so they could be closer to me.

So it was a suprise to me when, as I headed back to my area to get ready for the next dance, one of the young girls helping out handed me red roses. "Thanks." I said to the girl, who was no more then a sophmore in high school if that.

She smiled. "My pleasure." And turned around and left me alone again.

I searched for the card, and nearly dropped it when I found it. All it said was "Lovely, as always."

With the strange note in mind, I preformed the next few dances, hoping it wasn't from a stalker, or the guy sitting in that front row seat.

As I left the dressing room, weaving through the crowds of proud parents, and pleased dancers, and down stairs to the exit, I looked back on a whim. Standing on the other side of the building, near the doors of the dressing room, was a man in shadows. I could tell it was the same man, and thought it took skill to find a place that's always perfectly how of my view.

Still, he had never done this before, and it made me wonder why he was doing this now, and if it was me he as looking for. And if it was me, then why. I don't think I'd ever even seen him out of the theatre before, in my approaching four years at this school.

"Hey Alice!" someone said to me in passing. I turned my head to see who said it, so I could say hey back, but they were already gone. 'Maybe it was my imagination.' I thought. I turned my head back to where the man was, but he was gone.

Shaking it off, I turned my attention back to getting out of here.

When I got to the door the doorman smiled at me. He was a kind old man, and one of my friends. He said he was a fan of me, and loved it when I danced, which he occasionally got to see. He, like my old friend, had said I'd go far.

"Night Miss Brandon." He tipped his hat at me as he opened the door.

"Night, Ernie." I said, smiling back at him. "Nice night out tonight."

"Sure is, Miss Brandon, but tomorrow it's supposed to rain a little. Better bring an umbrella." he said protectivly.

"Sure thing! Don't you love rain?" I stopped outside the door, lettting other people pass.

"It's alright. Be careful walking to your dorm." he said fatherly.

"Promise!" I called as I waved bye. He waved back and I started off.

I followed the walkway back to my senior dorm in the darkness. The lights had all but burnt out and the moon was a cresent. Still, it was light enough for me to find my way through the taunting, imposing shadows. Maybe it was the shadows getting to me, but I felt like I was being followed, so I looked behind me, to find no one there. So, I kept on walking until a small snapping sound, like that of a twig, came from behind me. But the person at fault hid themselves well, and I couldn't see them anywhere. It put me on edge just enough to quicken my pace.

In my hurry I ran into someone. My things went flying, and I probably would have too, if the person I had run into hadn't caught me.

"I'm so sorry!" I apologized, standing up again. "Oh!" I noticed all my books on the ground and bend to get them. The person, male it seemed, bend with me.

"No, it was my fault. I should watch where I'm going." It was defiantly a male voice, which sounded soft and familiar. I wanted to know who he was, but the scarce light available made it impossible, and what was free for my use hit him in the wrong places, so his face was obscure.

My heart sped as I thought about how it might be the stranger, but this mans voice calmed me. It was a soft lull, beckoning me closer, like poisinus things and they're bright and beautiful colors.

"What are you doing out so late?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." he smirked.

"I'm coming back from my preformance-" he cut me off.

"Oh! You're a dancer! I should have known! Do you wear a tutu, too?" he laughed. Something about his laugh was familiar, but it was impossible. It couldn't be him, he was gone, and he wasn't coming back.

"Yes, I do. Why are you here?"

He shrugged. "I was coming back from the computers, jurnalism, that sort of thing." he said, waving the shadows or books and papers messily inserted in them.

"I see." I looked at my watch and clicked the glow in the dark button. "Oh! I'm sorry! It's almost curfew! If I don't get back at a certain my friend will lock me out of the dorm room. I have to go, I'm sorry!" I apologized as I started walking again.

"It was nice meeting you!" the man called after me.

~TTHU~

A few weeks later, as I entered my empty dorm room, I saw that a card was on my desk.

'Alice' was written in neat cursive on it. Beside it were more flowers. I sucked in my breath and reached out to grab it. Was it the same person? How'd they get it in here?

'Nonsense.' I told myself. All the same, I picked it up with caution.

"That was at the door for you." My roommate said making me jump, "Wonder who it's from."

"I don't know." I turned and saw she was back from the showers. I stood there, leaning on the desk and holding it.

"Well... open it." She urged.

"Right." I nodded and looked down to study it.

I opened it and found another note, in the simple script.

'I've been watching you.'

Like so many times recently, I was reminded of him.

~TTUH MEMORY~

"Jasper! Jasper where are you?" I wailed. I was 7 and couldn't find my best friend.

"Jazzie!" tears flowed from my eyes.

Then Jasper jumped down from a tree.

"Alice stop crying, I'm right here." he said gently.

"But you weren't there. I almost got hurt."

"You didn't, I was right beside you in the whole time, hiding in the trees. I wouldn't let you get hurt. Now calm down before your heart stops." Jasper hugged me protectivly, brotherly. Immediatly I felt safer.

"Just don't leave me. Ever." I said into his chest.

"I won't, I promise." he vowed.

Jasper walked beside me, his handaround my shoulders, until we reached his house.

"Hey mom! Alice is staying for dinner!" he told her, taking me by the hand into the kitchen.

Mrs. Hale smiled. "Just make yourself at home Alice. I'll call your mother and tell her."

It wasn't long before we were so close that if we weren't home we were at the others' house and our parents just knew, so Jasper just claiming me for dinner was perfectly normal, I even slept over at his house almost every day, or he was at mine.

The next day at recess I played alone by a tree, kicking rocks around. Jasper had ignored me once we got inside the school, and wouldn't talk to me when I approached him. He would look at me, but when I looked up and caught him he moved his head away so fast I would have thought it was a trick of the eye if I wasn't sure.

A couple of weeks of silence between Jasper and me passed and everyday I was alone by a tree playing by myself.

Then one day at the begining of the week marking the third week of silence, as I was playing by my tree, I felt a rock hit my chest and I froze in pain, clutching my chest.

"Hey Freaky, where's your boyfriend?" my enemy, Jess, sneered at me.

"I don't know." I mumbled.

Jess grinned and gave her friends a look that meant 'killing spree'.

"Then I guess it's hunting season for people with heart problems."

She picked up another rock as I turned my back to her in an attempt to run.

Where was Jasper? They never bothered me when he was around.

"Your precious Jasper can't save you now." A rock hit my back as I started to run, and another sharp pain was felt in my chest. As I tried to run from them, they followed, more rocks hitting my back, damaging my heart, with more and more pain felt. but I pushed through it. I had to get out alive with my heart intact. Why weren't the teachers stopping them?

I was so busy crying and running for my life that I ran into someone.

"I'm sorry." I said, voice tight, trying to get away quickly and continue the run that was less damaging to my heart then the rocks. But when I tried to get free, the arms wrapped around me tight and protective and wouldn't let me go.

Instead I heard shouting. "What do you think you're doing? Throwing rocks at her? What did she do to deserve an attack that could kill her by the likes of you? That's what you were trying to do right? Trying to kill her? Why? Because she has a heart problem? Because she's differant? Because she gets more attention then you guys? 'Cause you full well know she needs all that attention. You could've killed her! Be lucky you hadn't or I would have gotten my father on you. You know, the lawyer? And if something like this happens again you'll be dealing with me. So don't ever go near her again!" He roared.

Jasper was a naturally calm person and only something really bad could've angered him enough to yell like this. That's why Jess and the others the whole time he was yelling from the first shout that came from his mouth.

"What are you still doing here? GO AWAY!" Jasper hugged me tighter and I heard them scurry away like mice, Jasper being their cat.

Jasper took me and held me at arms length. "Are you okay?"

I silently shook my head yes.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I should've been here." He said, guilt coloring his voice.

"Why weren't you?"

"I was thinkikng about something." he explained.

"For two weeks?" I asked disbelieving.

Jasper shrugged. "Important things, nothing I could just brush off."

"You haven't talked to me, gone near me, or smiled at me in two weeks, not even so much as a glance in my direction. How did you know I was in trouble? You were supposed to be inside." I said crossing my arms.

He romved his hands from my shoulders and put them in his pockets. "I've been watching you. I saw them throwing rocks at you, and the teachers ignoring you, and I ditched the stuff I was doing to help my teacher, and ran to you as fastas I could. I hope the rocks didn't damage your heart too bad, or I'm going to deal with those girls and not kindly." He said, a hint of anger coming back to his voice.

"Recess over! Time for class!" One of the teachers called out.

"Come on, I'll race you." I said, smiling. "Let's forget about this."

"Okay, if that's what you want."

I nodded. "It is."

"Okay then, in that case, on your marks. Get set! GO!"

And we both took off running towards the school.

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So I realize that Alice's heart problem seems a little extreme and unviable, but I wanted to get across that she has a really weak and bad heart... sorry if this chp was bad... 8 more reivews and I update... (which means I want a grand total of 13)


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